When searching for a VCT removal contractor, experience is important. Removing VCT from concrete is learned by performing it on the many different types of VCT flooring. To remove the VCT to bare concrete (without leaving any mastic or adhesive) is a skilled trade as well. Finding the right contractor is based on what you are trying to accomplish with the floor after the VCT is removed. Learn more about VCT removal services here.
Top Questions of a VCT Removal Contractor:
- What are you trying to accomplish with the floor? Is the VCT being removed to polish the concrete, to put down a floor coating, or lay another floor topping such as more vinyl tile or LVT? These things are important to a VCT removal contractor because it tells them how to handle the concrete beneath the tile. For floors that are being polished it will be important to take great care to not mar the floor. In any situation, the mastic must come completely off the floor for the best practices guidelines. The best way to accomplish both VCT and mastic removal is with a ride-on scraper. This makes quick work of the removal process and removes most of the adhesive with the tile. Hand scraping will leave most of the mastic on the floor which will have to be dealt with with grinders or other concrete tooling.
- How many layers of VCT? This is for pricing purposes. Many times 2 or 3 layers of vinyl tile are laid on top of each other. The more layers the more work and the more to dispose of. This is an important part of pricing the job for a VCT removal contractor so that there are no surprises with scheduling the job.
- Does the tile or mastic contain asbestos? Building built before asbestos was banned may have asbestos-containing mastic, this is common in black mastic and 9″ tiles. Depending on the state laws, the vinyl tile removal contractor may or may not be allowed to remove the tile and mastic.
Vinyl Tile Removal Expectations with Polished Concrete
- Leveling compound – Before laying vinyl tile, contractors will level the floor with a soft, cementitious underlayment. When the tile and mastic are removed, this leveling compound may be revealed. If polishing the floor, leveling compound will also have to be removed and patched with a polishable patching concrete as leveling compound will not polish.
- Ghosting – The grid like pattern the VCT left on the floor will most-likely remain in the polished floor. See our gallery for images of ghosting from VCT removal in polished concrete.
Titus Restoration has performed thousands of square feet of VCT removal. We have the equipment to perform both large and small jobs and we specialize in polishing the concrete after the VCT has been removed. Contact our team of experts for a quote on your project!